Today, Dec. 23, is the official deadline for purchasing insurance on the federal HealthCare.gov exchange in order to have coverage in place on Jan. 1. Note that the insurance companies participating have
extended the premium payment deadline to Jan. 10, but anyone wanting to buy on the exchange who hasn't yet done so needs to enroll today. Or,
into tomorrow if you are online and in the queue, but don't have the process completed by midnight.
Over the weekend, government officials and outside IT contractors working on the online marketplace’s computer system made a software change that automatically gives people a Jan. 1 start date for their coverage as long as they enroll by 11:59 p.m. Christmas Eve. [...]
One individual familiar with the unannounced extension said that it is, in part, intended as a buffer in case the Web site has trouble if a last-minute surge of insurance-seekers proved more than the computer system could handle.
According to the two individuals, both of whom spoke on condition of anonymity about a matter that is not public, the one-day extension is automatic, built into the software, and cannot be overridden by individual insurers if they object.
Asked to explain the reason for the extension—and why it was kept secret—officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the federal agency overseeing the health exchange, at first declined to respond. By early afternoon, Julie Bataille, director of CMS’s office of communication, said the official deadline for signing up for Jan. 1 coverage remains Monday, but she added: “Anticipating high demand and the fact that consumers may be enrolling from multiple time zones, we have taken steps to make sure that those who select a plan through tomorrow will get coverage for Jan 1.”
If you need to buy insurance and have been procrastinating: Stop it! Go online now at
HealthCare.gov or
get on the phone Here are the numbers: 1-800-318-2596, TTY: 1-855-889-4325 for individuals and families; or 1-800-706-7893, TTY: 1-800-706-7915 for small businesses. Give you, your family, your employees the best Christmas present possible, health insurance!